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Trouble Recognizing Others' Emotions
Topic Started: Nov 29 2010, 06:09 PM (336 Views)
brenda
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..............
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101122172008.htm

Quote:
 
Upper-Class People Have Trouble Recognizing Others' Emotions

ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2010) Upper-class people have more educational opportunities, greater financial security, and better job prospects than people from lower social classes, but that doesn't mean they're more skilled at everything. A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds surprisingly, that lower-class people are better at reading the emotions of others.

The researchers were inspired by observing that, for lower-class people, success depends more on how much they can rely on other individuals. For example, if you can't afford to buy support services, such as daycare service for your children, you have to rely on your neighbors or relatives to watch the kids while you attend classes or run errands, says Michael W. Kraus of the University of California-San Francisco. He co-wrote the study with Stéphane Côté of the University of Toronto and Dacher Keltner of the University of California-Berkeley.

One experiment used volunteers who worked at a university. Some had graduated from college and others had not; researchers used educational level as a proxy for social class. The volunteers did a test of emotion perception, in which they were instructed to look at pictures of faces and indicate which emotions each face was displaying. People with more education performed worse on the task than people with less education. In another study, university students who were of higher social standing (determined from each student's self-reported perceptions of his or her family's socioeconomic status) had a more difficult time accurately reading the emotions of a stranger during a group job interview.

These results suggest that people of upper-class status aren't very good at recognizing the emotions other people are feeling. The researchers speculate that this is because they can solve their problems, like the daycare example, without relying on others -- they aren't as dependent on the people around them.

A final experiment found that, when people were made to feel that they were at a lower social class than they actually were, they got better at reading emotions. This shows that "it's not something ingrained in the individual," Kraus says. "It's the cultural context leading to these differences." He says this work helps show that stereotypes about the classes are wrong. "It's not that a lower-class person, no matter what, is going to be less intelligent than an upper-class person. It's all about the social context the person lives in, and the specific challenges the person faces. If you can shift the context even temporarily, social class differences in any number of behaviors can be eliminated."

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
I would have said that this is absolutely the case, even without the study.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
Aqua Letifer
Nov 29 2010, 07:52 PM
I would have said that this is absolutely the case, even without the study.
Empathy: it's what keeps the poor poor.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
ivorythumper
Nov 29 2010, 07:59 PM
Aqua Letifer
Nov 29 2010, 07:52 PM
I would have said that this is absolutely the case, even without the study.
Empathy: it's what keeps the poor poor.
Do you really think so? If that's the case then sign me up.

In general, I'd say that the poor have a lot more public interaction than the rich, like the article suggests. More time and experience to familiarize yourself with others.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
I dunno, I tend to think that the really wealthy tend to be self absorbed and uncaring of their impact on other people's lives, which can make it easier to get wealthy off of other people... but that's just a hunch.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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Horace
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HOLY CARP!!!
Clearly the poor should be studied and dissected, to try to determine by what magicks they possess such powers of "empathy". The rich will then develop technology to surgically harvest such "empathy" from the poor on a large scale. Armed thusly with money and the harvested empathy of the poor, the rich will RULE THE GALAXY!!!!
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
Or they could just market it on infomercials for guys who can't get laid.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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dolmansaxlil
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HOLY CARP!!!
I went to an amazing presentation a couple weeks ago called "Bridges Out of Poverty". It was a really eye opening look at the difference between the mind set of the generational poor v. middle class. They are doing amazing work to help the poor get out. One of the things they talk about is how the generational poor value relationships above all else. The middle class value achievement above all else. The talk had a huge impact on me and how I think about some of the kids I teach.
"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson

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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
I just love sweeping generalizations based on studies likely designed to produce a given result. Achievement sometimes requires choosing goals over personal desires. If you are not trying to accomplish anything you don't have to make those choices. It in no way means you value one thing over the other, simply that a productive life entails competing factors.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
The poor are more than happy to mow my lawn, cook my food, clean my house, and wash my cars. They should be pleased for the opportunity. :D
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Mikhailoh
Nov 30 2010, 03:23 AM
I just love sweeping generalizations based on studies likely designed to produce a given result. Achievement sometimes requires choosing goals over personal desires. If you are not trying to accomplish anything you don't have to make those choices. It in no way means you value one thing over the other, simply that a productive life entails competing factors.
About those sweeping generalizations...

Quote:
 
If you are not trying to accomplish anything


Quote:
 
a productive life


I thought we were talking about rich and poor people. Last time I checked, both rich and poor alike have a decent enough opportunity to be productive or not productive.

And doesn't choosing goals over personal desires, by definition, mean you value those goals over your personal desires?
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
I need to buy me some more humans...
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Frank_W
Nov 30 2010, 07:59 AM
I need to buy me some more humans...
Yeah, mine keep running with high blood pressure and stroke out just after 50. They don't make 'em like they used to. :no:
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Frank_W
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Resident Misanthrope
:lol2:
Anatomy Prof: "The human body has about 20 sq. meters of skin."
Me: "Man, that's a lot of lampshades!"
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sue
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HOLY CARP!!!
ivorythumper
Nov 29 2010, 07:59 PM
Aqua Letifer
Nov 29 2010, 07:52 PM
I would have said that this is absolutely the case, even without the study.
Empathy: it's what keeps the poor poor.
So that's my problem.
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
Mine too, Sue.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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